Defending champions Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the first leg of their ASEAN Championship semi-final at Kuala Lumpur Stadium on Sunday (16th August), securing a comfortable advantage ahead of the return clash in Hanoi on Wednesday (19th August).
Malaysia, under coach Tan Cheng Hoe, started brightly and applied early pressure. Vietnam gradually settled and, five minutes into first-half stoppage time, Brazilian-born striker Nguyen Xuan Son, also known as Rafaelson, put the visitors ahead with a stunning diving header. The goal came from a cross by wing-back Truong Tien Anh, with Xuan Son rising unmarked to direct the ball past goalkeeper Azri Ghani. Xuan Son, who has become a key figure for the national team since gaining Vietnamese citizenship, continued his strong form in regional competition with the decisive strike.
Vietnam were given a reprieve on the hour mark when a red card initially shown to goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang for handling the ball outside the area was rescinded by referee Rustam Lutfullin after a pitch-side monitor review. Kim Sang-sik’s side then added a crucial second with six minutes remaining when Malaysian left-back Faris Danish steered the ball past his own goalkeeper.
Danish nearly made amends in the dying seconds, but Le Giang produced an acrobatic save to push the defender’s goal-bound strike over the bar, preserving the clean sheet and giving Vietnam a significant cushion for the return fixture.
Vietnam enter the knockout stages as defending champions, having won the title in 2024 under the same coach, Kim. The Golden Star Warriors previously lifted the trophy in 2008 and 2018, making them three-time winners of the competition. Thailand remain the most successful side with seven titles, while Singapore hold four, and Malaysia one.
Vietnam finished top of their group in the current edition before facing Malaysia, who advanced as runners-up in the other group.
The winner of the two-legged clash will face either Thailand or Singapore in the final. Thailand won 3-1 in the first leg of their semi-final on Saturday at Jalan Besar Stadium, with Teerasak Poeiphimai scoring twice for the War Elephants. The return leg will be played in Bangkok on Tuesday. The final will be contested on a home-and-away basis on 22nd and 26th August.
The ASEAN Championship, formerly known under various sponsored titles, remains the premier national team competition in Southeast Asia and has been contested biennially since 1996.
Malaysia had to contend with squad availability issues heading into the semi-final, yet still pushed Vietnam throughout large periods of the contest. The second leg at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi gives Vietnam the chance to progress further, while Malaysia must overturn the two-goal deficit to keep their final hopes alive. Attention now turns to Hanoi, where Vietnam will look to capitalise on home support while Malaysia aims to produce a strong response and force a closer contest.
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